1. Field of Invention
The invention generally relates to testing and calibration of optical and electro-optical modules, generically referred to herein as xe2x80x9cmodulesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coptical modules.xe2x80x9d More specifically, the invention relates to systems, apparatuses and methods for performing parallel, asynchronous testing and calibration of optical and/or electro-optical modules.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic manufacturers that produce large volumes of identical components have sought to improve widely-used serial testing techniques by employing parallel testing schemes. Such parallel test schemes subject a large number of identical electronic devices to the same test. The test cycle for such electronic components is relatively short and the testing of a plurality of such components is initiated simultaneously. In other words, there is known a synchronous, parallel testing scheme for testing electronic components.
Optical networking equipment manufacturing presents difficult challenges not faced by electronic equipment manufacturers. It is quite common for optical networking equipment manufacturers to specially build a set of optical networking equipment to order. Furthermore, the orders are often unpredictable and sporadic which means that the manufacturing must be highly adaptable and dynamic.
In other words, optical networking equipment manufacturing is a high mix environment in which a variety of different modules are made. The mix of equipment may change on a daily or even hourly basis. This is particularly true for WDM (wave division multiplexed) or DWDM (dense wave division multiplexing) equipment in which a large number of, for example, transmitters, receivers, and transceivers are built each of which may have a different construction and may be designed for a different channel wavelength. Thus, it is inefficient to dedicate a production line or testing station to a particular module or component.
The conventional method of manufacturing optical and electro-optical components and modules is essentially a serial process. For example, a component or module is partially assembled, then tested, then more fully assembled, then tested again, and so on in a sequential fashion. Such serial assembly and testing is inefficient and labor intensive.
Typically, test stations are used to test a component or module in the assembly line. Such test stations are designed to perform a specific test or set of tests in sequence. The test station and the test sequence is specific to the product or assembly line. As such, the typical test station is not flexible and leads to inefficient utilization of test equipment and labor resources. Furthermore, the high mix environment faced by optical networking equipment manufacturers makes using a parallel testing architecture inadequate since different tests needs to be performed on the high mix of components.
The invention may be characterized as a method of conducting parallel asynchronous testing of a plurality of optical modules, including: selecting optical tests from among a collection of optical tests; determining if a testing process or instrument required for the selected optical tests is available; and asynchronously initiating execution of the selected optical tests as the determining step determines that the testing process or instrument is available.
The invention may also place one or more of the selected optical tests in a process/instrument queue when the determining step determines that the testing process or instrument is not available; and asynchronously initiate execution of a next optical test from the process/instrument queue as the determining step determines that the testing process or instrument is available.
Furthermore, the invention may load a database file containing a test recipe corresponding to each of the selected optical tests such that the determining step and the asynchronously initiating step utilize the test recipe loaded by the loading step.
A display device may also be used to display the test sequence for at least one of the optical tests. This display may also be used to display receive test data received from the testing process or instrument relating to at least one of the optical tests being executed.
In addition, the invention may identify each of the optical modules; receive test data from the testing process or instrument relating to at least one of the optical tests being executed; and store the received test data in a database such that the stored test data is associated with the identified optical modules.
A test result may also be decided for the received test data and the display utilized to display the test result, the test data, and a test sequence of the optical test for each of the optical modules being tested.
Furthermore, the invention may send commands to the optical modules; receive data from the optical modules; and display the commands to the optical modules and data received from the optical modules.
Moreover, at least one of the optical tests may include a sequence of test procedures.
Another aspect of resource reservation used by the invention includes locking a COM port for each of the selected optical tests from among a plurality of COM ports; and asynchronously initiating execution of the selected optical tests as the locking step successfully locks one of the COM ports and as the determining step determines that the testing process or instrument is available. The invention may also place one or more of the selected optical tests in a COM port queue when the locking step is unable to lock one of the COM ports; unlock one of the COM ports when one of the selected optical tests is completed; and lock the unlocked COM port for a next optical test in the COM port queue.
The invention further includes an apparatus for conducting parallel asynchronous testing of a plurality of optical modules, including a plurality of state machines operating in a controller; each of the state machines determining if a testing process or instrument required for selected optical tests is available; and each of the state machines asynchronously initiating execution of the selected optical tests a corresponding one of the state machines determines that the testing process or instrument is available.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.